My Vegan Trip to Disney World: All about Quick Service and wtheck are Magic Bands?

April 11, 2014

Going on vacation can be dangerous for a vegan like me. For one, there are very limited options as is, but venturing out into the wild of an unknown ‘hood more than triples the likelihood that I’ll have to end up eating tons of apples or even worse… SALAD! Gasp!

Disneyworld sure is huge… eep!

Theme parks are also not exactly known for having palatable choices when it comes to food, and Disneyworld was no exception. As this was my first visit to Disneyworld, I first had to get accustomed to their method of ordering and charging you for food — via a meal plan, which is the cheapest option if you plan to stay at their resorts.

A typical example of a quick service meal: an entree, bottled drink and a dessert, which counts as one meal during lunch and dinner. Sorry, no desserts during breakfast!Redeeming your snack allotment is optional… and if you do, resort snacks are the best, as they have fresh fruit, vegan cupcakes and gelato, ie: fancier choices.Credit: eatbreathesleepdisney

There are two options for meal plans: Quick Service and Table Service, which entitles you to a certain amount of “meals” and “snacks” per person, per day. Quick Service, the cheaper option, basically has you going up to a counter and ordering, then finding a seat for yourself, essentially a self-serve type meal. Table Service is what it sounds like — you sit at a table like at a regular restaurant and order food, at a pricier rate for the meal plan.

Once you enter the cafeteria at your resort, it’ll look similar to this one, depending on which resort you’re at. Ordering food is similar to ordering at a fast food restaurant.Credit: buildabettermousetrip

Since my plane tickets and hotel fees were already pretty pricey, I chose Quick Service (who needs someone to bring you your food anyway?), which entitles you to two meals and two snacks per day. Personally, I recommend that you bring plenty of your own food, because honestly, who eats only two meals a day? Two snacks definitely do not make a full meal, by the way.

I also stayed at Pop Century, the cheapest resort option available. No frills here!

Any meals you eat will be taken off your record via Disney’s new RF-enabled Magic Bands, an adjustable wristband that has snaps like a snapback hat and is color-customizable through the Disneyworld website. Basically, you tap the band to the cashier’s Mickey-shaped pay pad, then enter a PIN to redeem your meal. The Magic Bands are also used for park entrance and Fastpass.

1) Use your MB to enter your hotel room2) Use it to pay for food (meal plans are already loaded onto the band) and souvies, you’ll be paying for it later when you check out, don’t worry!3) Use it to enter the parks.

Because my experiences with the food at the resorts and in the actual park were vastly different, I’m going to split my review into two separate categories: RESORT and PARK. Stay tuned for parts II and III!

Who is Vegan Chao?

Being vegan means so much more than just a diet. It's a way of life and though it can be tough, I'm here to give you tips, tricks and guidance on how to live a greener, leaner, kinder life, one carrot at a time!